Franny's, Part Deux. Bigger? Yes. Better? Hmmm...

Last night was the big opening of Franny's in it's new Slope-side-of-Flatbush location. As the New York Times noted:

There are now more than 100 seats instead of 32; a kitchen three times the size of its predecessor, with two wood-burning ovens; more wine storage; a bigger bar; and an expanded menu. Because of its kitchen’s limits, the old Franny’s had to say no to a lot, including reservations; now it will take them for parties of eight or more.

So, of COURSE, I had to be there. I have lurved me some Franny's since it opened, to the point that it became a joke when anyone would suggest other places to try, I would inevitably say, "Let's just go to Franny's." The chicken liver crositini is probably my favorite menu item of any restaurant ever. I have used it to to convert people who claim they don't like chicken livers. It's only on the menu in the fall, and one September I asked the manager to e-mail me when it made it's return. He did. And I was grateful. 

We got there early -- at 6pm -- and while there was already a pretty nice crowd, I could see there were a few open tables for four. Still, the hostess was eager to put us downstairs in the new wine cellar/private party room (they serve the regular menu down there when it's not reserved for a party). I asked if we could sit upstairs, and she claimed she'd "sold the last table." We were with the kids (who are 8 and 12), so I suspected that might have had something to do with maybe wanting to hide us from the "cool people." But, as we walked through to get to the stairs, I could see there were plenty of families with kids sitting upstairs. When we got downstairs, it was empty, and small, and felt very enclosed. Especially when they shut the sliding glass door to the hallway, which is right about when my claustrophobia kicked in. My husband and kids were fine with it, but I wanted to be upstairs where the action was. And where I didn't feel like the walls were closing in on us. Thankfully, the waitress could tell I was not happy, and offered to see if there was a table upstairs for us. Shocker -- there was! So, hmmmmmm about that one.

The main room is bigger and brighter than Old Franny's, which made the vibe feel more casual than cool. It could be that it changes once the sun goes down, and they lower the lights...and all the damned breeders go home. 

The menu is pretty much the same (they always change it up seasonally), with a few additions (a pizza with flowering greens, garlic, chiles and pecorino romano), and twists on familiar items (the pancetta crostini had bitter orange). We had the freekeh salad, the pancetta crostini, and the wood roasted turnips to start -- all super-delish. For mains we ordered the cavatelli with spicy pork sausage, tomato and ricotta, the soft polenta with fennel and parmagiano romano, and the pizza with tomato and buffalo mozzarella. The only miss for me was the polenta. It was more runny than creamy, and with chunks of cooked fennel, it looked a bit like a bowl of snot with boogers in it. The serving sizes also seem to have shrunk. I could swear you used to get two whole pieces in one order of crostini, and now you get one piece cut in half. The pasta portions also seemed smaller. Maybe the bowls are bigger? Franny's was pricey to begin with, so this was a little disappointing.

But this isn't meant to be about the food, which I still love, and will always love (except for that polenta). This is about the new space, which...I don't know. It's bigger! You probably won't have to wait as long for a table. But, I can't imagine ever wanting to sit downstairs, even as part of a private party. I'd sooner sit at the bar.

Did anyone else go last night? What did you think?